Texas added more solar capacity than any other state in 2023 — topping California for just the second time — according to a new report. That's largely because of the state's booming number of utility-scale projects like the Seguin solar farm developed by electric car parts supplier Vitesco Technologies, San Antonio's Big Sun Solar and Gonzales electric co-op GVEC.
"This solar farm represents the combination of two previously different objectives: helping a global company meet its sustainability goals and also delivering a favorable financial return," Big Sun Solar CEO Robert Miggins said in a statement.
The installation's panels sprawl across 12 acres adjacent to Vitesco's manufacturing operation in Seguin. Big Sun built, owns and operates the panels through a power purchase agreement. Vitesco, a German-based company, uses the power to offset its energy consumption with GVEC.
"This sort of flexibility is an innovative example of how we are willing and able to support the sustainability goals of our commercial and industrial customers while also helping to strengthen the economic vitality of our south central Texas region," GVEC CEO Darren Schauer said in a statement.
Big Sun anticipates the 2.6 megawatt farm will generate roughly 4,800 megawatt hours of power per year. It will account for about 13% of Vitesco's yearly energy use — enough to power about 330 Texas homes.
Vitesco says it's seeking other ways to work with Big Sun to power more of its plant, which employees more than 1,700 Texans.
"Powering clean mobility is our mission, and that certainly includes taking responsible actions supporting our manufacturing processes to reduce the environmental effects of the automotive industry," said Vitesco Head of Operation Hans-Juergen Braun.
Nationwide, solar capacity grew by more than 32,400 megawatts over the past year and accounted for 53% of all new generation added to power grids across the U.S., according to a report issued this week by energy research firm Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Electric Reliability Council of Texas officials have said its independent grid status makes the process of getting large solar and other generation projects off the ground faster than is possible in other states. That, along with federal tax incentives and costs to build solar farms dropping, has helped rocket Texas' overall solar capacity.
Texas added more than 6,500 megawatts of solar generation last year. California came in second with 6,171 megawatts, according to Wood Mackenzie. California led the nation a year before after Texas had beat the Golden State in 2021.
California, however, comes out on top and bounds ahead of Texas in terms of the amount of residential solar capacity, such as panels on residents' roofs to offset their own bills.
Still, the Solar Energy Industries Association projects Texas will add nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar capacity over the next decade — meaning its total solar capacity is likely to be ahead of California in the long run.
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